Ejector bucket for front end loader



April 6, 1965 B. A. KUHL EJEGI'OR BUCKET FOR FRONT END LOADER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 29, 1962 INQENTOR. fiemard/f/ d/ ATTORNEY April 6, 1965 B. A. KUHL EJECTOR BUCKET FOR FRONT END LOADER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 29, 1962 ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,176,863 EJECTOR BUCKET FOR FRONT END LQADER Bernard A. Kuhl, Lakewood, Ohio, assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich, a corporation of Delaware Filed Aug. 29, 1962, Ser. No. 220,182 6 Claims. (Cl. 214146) This invention pertains to a front end loader vehicle in which the bucket is provided with an ejector mechanism.

The prior art teaches the use of ejectors for discharging a load from a bucket, most ejectors taking the form of an arcuate plate that is pivotally supported at one end on a fixed transverse axis attached to a portion of the bucket. Means are provided on the bucket or on the bucket support means for moving the plate about its pivot axis from a retracted to an extended position so as to push the load out of the bucket. The cleaning sweep of an ejector of this type follows an are that is determined by the distance from the fixed pivot connection of the ejector to the free edge of the latter. Accordingly, the load capacity, size, and shape of the bucket is dictated by this dimension requiring that the floor portion of the bucket be formed as a curved surface corresponding to the ejector sweep in order to ensure that the entire load is discharged when the ejector is actuated forwardly. Due to the curved floor, a bucket of this sort becomes extremely diflicult to properly position on level ground for a digging operation and, additionally, does not enjoy the stability, for example, of a bucket having a flat floor. For this reason it has been proposed to provide a curved false bottom in a flat floortype bucket to permit the use of the above-described ejector without the attendant positioning and stability problems. Although this has resulted in a workable bucket, it should be apparent that the provision of a false bottom has substantially decreased the load capacity of the bucket.

This invention contemplates an improved ejector that is particularly suitable for a bucket having a flat floor portion; the ejector being characterized by having a pair of ejector sections that are pivotally interconnected with one section being supported by the bucket on a fixed transverse pivot axis. Operating means are connected to one of the sections for pivoting the latter forwardly about the fixed axis so that the free end of the other section moves along the bucket floor so as to cause a progressive increase in effective sweeping length of the ejector.

A more complete understanding of the subject invention can be derived from the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is an elevation view showing a front end loader vehicle incorporating the present invention,

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary enlarged view illustrating the bucket with the ejector mechanism in different positions,

FIGURE 3 is a view taken on line 33 of FIGURE 2, and

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary view of the bucket of PEG. 2 illustrating the latching mechanism for maintaining the lower section of the ejector in a fixed position when the latter is retracted.

Referring now to FIGURE 1, the present invention is shown incorporated with a rubber-tired front-end loader vehicle of the type having a front frame section 2 and a rear frame secion 4, both of which are interconnected about a vertical steering axis. The rear frame section supports the engine which provides drive to the front and rear wheels of the vehicle through a suitable transmission and drive line, not shown. In addition, an operators station 5 is positioned on the rear frame section and includes suitable steering mechanism and control valves for moving the frame sections with respect to each other ddlhfihd Patented Apr. 6, 1965 ice about the steering axis and for raising and lowering a boom 6 between a digging and dump position, respectively. At this point, it should be apparent that only one side of the loader is shown in FIGURE 1. Hence, in order to simplify the description of the various elements of the tilt linkage on the boom, reference will be made to the structure illustrated, it being understood that identical structure is associated with the other side of the vehicle.

The boom 6 is pivoted on a transverse axis 8 to a support pillar Ill rigidly mounted on the front frame section, and is movable between a raised and lowered position by double-acting hydraulic jack 12 respectively connected on transverse pivot axes 14 and 16 to the support It) and the boom. The free end of the boom pivotally supports a bucket 18 on a transverse pivot axis 20, and is associated with a distorted parallelogram linkage arrangement which includes a lever 22 pivoted to the boom on an axis 24. A link member 26 has one end thereof pivoted at point 27 to the upper end of the lever 22, and the other end :pivotally connected at point 28 to the support pillar 10. A double-acting hydrualic tilt jack 29 forms the forward portion of the linkage and has the cylinder end pivotally mounted at point 30 to the lower end of the lever 22 while the piston-rod end is connected on a pivot axis 32 to the bucket 18. The distorted parallelogram-type linkage has found considerable favor in the earth-working trade because it automatically functions to maintain the bucket in a load-holding attitude as the boom is elevated. For example, assuming that a load has been received in the bucket, the tilt jack 29 may be retracted to a low level load-retaining position at which time the bucket is rolled rearwardly a small amount about the pivot point 20. As the boom hoist or jack 12 is extended, the geometry of the linkage serves to automatically roll the bucket forwardly about the pivot point 20 so as to maintain the bucket in a non-spilling attitude; that is, a position in which the mouth of the bucket is maintained substantially horizontal or parallel with the ground.

As seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, the bucket has a transversely extending load support wall which is arcuate in shape and includes an upper portion 34, a back portion 36 and a lower portion 38. The load support wall is closed at the lateral ends thereof by vertical side walls 40 and 42, each having the leading edge thereof reinforced by a strip of metal and inclined rearwardly so as to prevent damage thereto. Similarly, the leading edge of the bottom portion 38 is reinforced with a transversely extending strip of metal that serves as a cutting blade and protects the load support wall of the bucket. An ejector 44 is provided inside the bucket and includes a pair of arcuate sections 46 and 48, both of which are interconnected about a transverse pivot axis 50, include spaced vertical gusset plates, and extend transversely between the bucket side Walls. The free end of the ejector section 46 is connected to the bucket upper portion 34 on a transverse pivot axis 52, while the free end of the ejector section 48 terminates with an edge 53 that is freely movable along the bucket bottom portion 38, as will be explained hereinafter. A pair of spaced crank arms 54 are rigidly secured at one end to the rear side of the ejector section 46 while the other end of each crank arm extends through an opening 56 in the bucket load support wall for connection with the piston-rod end of one of a pair ofdouble-acting hydraulic jacks 58. Each jack 58 is pivotally connected at a pivot point 64] to a support bracket 62 rigidly formed with the bucket back portion 36 while the other end of the jack is pivoted at point 64 to the crank arm.

As best seen in FIG. 3, each side wall 40 and 42 is provided with a stop block 66 which serves to limit the extension of the ejector 44 and also permits the ejector to experience a rapping action to aid in ground removal from 3 V V the ejector. Moreover, adjacent each side: wall, a vertical slot 68 is provided in the bucket back wallfor accommodating a latch 7d rigidly secured to the rear of the ejector section 48. Thus, when the ejector is in the retracted position of FIG. 4, the latch 70 engages the rear wall 36 of the bucket through the slot 68 and thereby prevents the ejector section from raising about pivot axis 59 during a digging operation.

In FIGURE'2, the ejector positions indicated by the Roman numerals I, II and III, respectively, show the ejector in the retracted, intermediate, and fully extended position. In position I, the ejector sections 46 and 48 abut the bucket load support wall and due'to their curvature permit the bucket to receive a load. Thus, assuming the boom and bucket are in the positions of FIGURE 1, the vehicle can then be driven into a'dirtpile to load the bucket. Thereafter the vehicle operator would charge the jack 12 to raise the boom 6 and Where the rear dump vehicle, as shown, is of height which makes it difiicult to dump the load by pivoting the bucket about the axis 20, he may then contract the jack 58 so as to extend the ejector 44 and thereby dump the bucket load. When the jack 58 is contracted, the crank arm 54 causes the ejector 44 to move from position I to position III with ejector section 46 moving forwardly about its pivot axis 52 and at the same time causing the edge 53 of ejector section 48 to move forwardly along the bottom wall. 38. This movement continues until ejector section 46 contacts the stop blocks 66 which act as an abrupt stopping means to permit the load to be thrown from the bucket and at the same time clean the ejector sections. Hence, it can be seen 1 that with the ejector mechanism, the bucket can be raised to a substantially level position relative to the ground and still complete a dumping operation. Because of this, the dumping reach and height of the vehicle is increased without requiring any changes in the tilt linkage or boom length. 7

It should be apparent from the above-description and from the disclosure of FIGURE 2 that to return the ejector 44 to the retracted position, the jack 58 is expanded resulting in the ejector section 46 pivoting rearwardly about pivot axis 52 and simultaneously carrying with it to the load support wall on a fixed transversepivot axis, operating means connected atone end to one of said'sections and at the other end to the bucket for moving the ejector plate relative to the bucket about the fixed pivot of the boom,'means operatively associated with the boom for moving the bucket about the boom pivot axis, means connected between the main frame and boom for moving the latter between a lowered diggingposition and a raised dumping position, said bucket comprising a pair of longitudinally extending side walls connected by a transversely extending load support walhan ejector plate comprising a first and second section interconnected about a movable transverse pivot axis, said first'section pivotally mounted to the load support wall on a fixed transverse pivot axis,

a crank arm rigidly secured to one of said sections, a

hydraulic jack pivotally connected at one end to said crank arm portion and at the other end to the bucket for moving the ejector plate relative to'the bucket about the fixed pivot axis in all positions of said boom, and means for latching the second section to the load support wall when the ejector plate is fully retracted to prevent said of the boom, means operatively associated with the boom for moving the bucket about its boom pivot axis, means connected between the main frame and boom for moving the ejector section 48 through position II to the position in which the ejector sections conform in configuration to the load support wall. Thereafter, the bucket can once again be loaded to repeat the ejector work cycle.

As referred to hereinbefore, an important feature of this invention is the progressive lengthening of the ejector 44 as it moves forwardly in discharging a load. In other words, as the ejector moves from position I to position'III of FIGURE 2, the distance from the pivot axis 52 to the edge 53 increases so as to, in effect, lengthen the sweep of the ejector and permit the bucket bottom wallto be.

flat to facilitate'the'poistioning of the bucket for a digging operation, and more importantly, increase the load capacity of the bucket.

It should be apparent that various changes and modifi- V cations can be made in the above-described ejector mechanism without departing from the spirit of the invention.

connected between the main frame and boom for moving the latter between a lowered digging position and a raised dumping position, said bucket comprising a pair of longitudinally extending side walls connected by a transversely extending load support wall, an ejector plate comprising a first and second .sectioninterconnected about a movable tlzansverse pivot axis, said first section pivotally mounted the latter between a lowered digging position and a raised dumping position, said bucket comprising a pair oflongitudinally extending side walls connected by a transversely extending load support wall, an ejector plate comprising 1 a first and second section interconnected about a movable transverse pivot axis, said'first section pivotally mounted to the load support wall on a fixed transverse pivot axis, a crank arm rigidly secured to the rear of one' of said sections, a hydraulic jack pivotally connected at one end to said crank arm portionand at the other end to the bucket for moving the ejector relative to the bucket about the fixed pivot axis in all positions of said boom, and

means for latching the second section to the load support wall when the ejector plate is fully'retracted.

' 4. In a front end loader vehicle having a main frame, a boom pivotally connected at one end thereof to the ,main frame, a bucket pivotally supported by the other end of the boom, means operatively associated with the boom for moving the bucket about its boom pivot axis, means connected between the main frame and boom for moving the latter between a lowered digging position and a raised dumping position, said bucket comprising a pair of longi first and second section interconnected about a movable transverse pivot axis, said first section pivotally mounted to the load support wall on a fixed transverse pivot axis, an opening formed in the load support wall, a crank arm rigidly secured to the rear of one of said sections and having a portion extending through said opening, a hydraulic jack pivotally connected at one end to said crank arm portion and'at the other end to the bucket for moving the both sections of the ejector relative to the bucket about the fixed pivot axis in all positions of said boom, and cooperatingmeans for latching the second section to the load support wall when the ejector plate is fully retracted.

5. In a front end loader vehicle having a main frame, a boom pivotally connected at one end thereof to the main 5 frame, a bucket pivotally supported by the other end of the boom, means operatively associated with the boom for moving the bucket about its boom pivot axis, means connected between the main frame and boom for moving the latter between a lowered digging position and a raised dumping position, asid bucket comprising a pair of longitudinally extending side walls connected by an arcuately formed transversely extending load support wall, said load support wall including a lower floor portion and an upper roof portion, an ejector plate comprising a first and second section interconnected about a movable transverse pivot axis, said first section pivotally mounted to the roof portion of the load support Wall on a fixed transverse pivot axis, each of said sections having the rear portion thereof curved so as to correspond in configuration to the load support wall of the bucket when the ejector plate is in a retracted position, an opening formed in the load support wall, a crank arm rigidly secured to the rear of one of said sections and having a portion extending through said opening, a hydraulic jack pivotally connected at one end to said crank arm portion and at the other end to the bucket for moving the ejector relative to the bucket about the fixed pivot axis 6 in all positions of said boom, means for latching the second section to the load support wall when the ejector plate is fully retracted to prevent said second section from moving about the movable pivot axis, and stop means a connected to the side walls for limiting forward ejecting References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,786,591 3/57 Neurneister. 2,885,103 5/59 Cunningham.

FOREIGN PATENTS 115,989 3/ 46 Sweden. 121,428 4/48 Sweden. 594,204 3/59 Italy.

HUGO O. SCI-IULZ, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A FRONT END LOADER VEHICLE HAVING A MAIN FRAME, A BOOM PIVOTALLY CONNECTED AT ONE END THEREOF TO THE MAIN FRAME, A BUCKET PIVOTALLY SUPPORTED BY THE OTHER END OF THE BOOM, MEANS OPERATIVELY ASSOCIATED WITH THE BOOM FOR MOVING THE BUCKET ABOUT ITS BOOM PIVOT AXIS, MEANS CONNECTED BETWEEN THE MAIN FRAME AND BOOM FOR MOVING THE LATTER BETWEEN A LOWERED DIGGING POSITION AND A RAISED DUMPING POSITION, SAID BUCKET COMPRISING A PAIR OF LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING SIDE WALLS CONNECTED BY A TRANSVERSELY EXTENDING LOAD SUPPORT WALL, AN EJECTOR PLATE COMPRISING A FIRST AND SECOND SECTION INTERCONNECTED ABOUT A MOVABLE TRANSVERSE PIVOT AXIS, SAID FIRST SECTION PIVOTALLY MOUNTED TO THE LOAD SUPPORT WALL ON A FIXED TRANSVERSE PIVOT AXIS, OPERATING MEANS CONNECTED AT ONE END TO ONE OF SAID SECTIONS AND AT THE OTHER END TO THE BUCKET FOR MOVING THE EJECTOR PLATE RELATIVE TO THE BUCKET ABOUT THE FIXED PIVOT AXIS IN ALL POSITIONS OF SAID BOOM, AND MEANS FOR LATCHING THE SECOND SECTION TO THE LOAD SUPPORT WALL WHEN THE EJECTOR PLATE IS FULLY RETRACTED TO PREVENT SAID SECOND SECTION FROM MOVING ABOUT THE MOVABLE PIVOT AXIS. 